Starter switch for fluorescent lamps



Jan. 24, 1950 M. H. KRUGER STARTER swrrcn FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MICHAEL HENRY KRUGER WM fiATTOFNEY Filed June 6, I947 Jan. 24, 1950 M. H. KRUGER s'rmm swrrcn FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1947 Patented Jan. 24, 1950 STARTER SWITCH FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Michael Henry Kruger, Malden, Masa, assignor to A. L. Smith Iron Company, Chelsea, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 6, 1947, Serial No. 753,031

This invention relates to starter switches for fluorescent lamps in general.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved starter switch for fluorescent lamps which contemplates the use of one switch lever movable in one direction when lighting the lamp, or a plurality of lamps, for initially closing the main switch, thereupon momentarily closing an auxiliary switch or switches, and thereupon releasing the lever to clear the auxiliary switch or switches and thereby again opening the latter without reopening the main switch, and which switch lever, when movable in the other direction to extinguish the lamp, will reopen the main switch and upon release will remain anchored in such position where the main switch will be maintained open.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of specific embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a transverse section including the wiring diagram showing a single lamp switch with a single fluorescent .lamp associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of three of the parts of the switch.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section including the wiring diagram showing a multiple lamp'switch with a plurality of fluorescent lamps associated therewith.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 56 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the switch I there shown consists essentially of four different parts, three in duplicate, such as the casting '2, looped contact clip, 3, and

4 Claims. (Cl. H)

2 manufacture and assembly in a switch of this type.

The casting 2,- of which there are two, identical to one another, see Fig. 4, consists in part of a plane base plate 8 having a. narrow ,wall 9 J-shaped in cross section extending along one end and partly along one side of the plate 8 and having a short thick wall Ill along another side of the plate 8, spaced from the adjacent end of the wall 9 and having a recess I l therein. The plate 8 also has two studs l2 and I3, both conical in shape, the stud l2 being smaller than the stud l3 and the stud I3 having a conical recess l4 conformed to receive a stud l2 of a complemental casting 2. There is also formed between the walls 9 and Hl'the projection i5 extending from the plate 8 and the raised plate shaped portion IS with the projection ll extending from one side of the portion l6. In addi- 20 tion, the plate 8 is provided with three openings,

flat contact clip 4 shown in Fig. 4, and only the a handle 5 shown in Fig. 1 not duplicated, making a total of seven parts per switch I. In some cases the clip 6 for securing the switch I to the wall 1 of a housing would constitute an eighth part. However, since any other securing means may be substituted for the clip 6 without departing from the general spirit of the invention, for the purpose of this description it will be assumed that the switch per se consists only of seven different parts, three in duplicate and only one not duplicated, making four difierent parts, resulting in a material reduction in the cost of two substantially narrow elongated slots l8 and I9, and a small round opening 20, the slots l8 and IS in the present instance being disposed at right angles to one another with the slot II in the plate 8 spaced from the portion l6, and the slot l9 disposed immediately adjacent to the portion [6.

The looped contact clip 3 has an arm 2| having an opening 22 near the end thereof and two recesses 23 and 24 in alinement with one another. The arm 2| is connected by the looped portion 25 with the arm 26 which has a recess forming bend 21 therein.

The flat contact clip 4 has an opening 28 near one end thereof, a recess or notch 29 at its other end and an extension at one side to form the shoulder 30.

The lever 5 consists of an arm 3| and a head 32 having knurled or serrated edges 33 and 34 as shown. The arm 3| has an extension 36 provided with two enlargements 31 and 38, the enlargement 38 being more blunt than the enlargement 31, and the extension 36, in the present instance, being slightly inclined relative to the main portion of the arm 3|.

When assembling a switch made according to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, each of the clips 3, see Fig. 1, are placed inside of the J-shaped wall 9 of a casting 2, the lower one for the purpose of clarity being designated 40, and the upper casting 4|, with its notch 23 receiving a projection l5. Thereupon one of the flat contact clips 4 is placed in the recess ll of the casting 40 as shown in Fig. 1 with its shoulder extending inwardly toward the stud l2, and the other flat contact clip 4 is positioned on the plate 8 of the casting 48 so that its recess 28 receives the projection H of the plate portion IS with its shoulder adjacent to the slot l8. Thereupon the studs or trunnions 88 of the lever are positioned, one stud 88 extending into the opening an of the casting 48, and thereupon the other casting 4| placed upon the first casting 48 to complement the same with its J-shaped wall 8. see the left hand side of Fig. l engaging the plate 8 of the casting 48, and the opening 28 of the second casting 4i positioned to receive the other stud 39, the studs l8 fitted upon the studs i2 and the plate 8 of the second casting 4| engaging the shoulders 88 of the flat contact clips 4. The two pairs of clips 3 and 4 are composed of metal and the two castings 48 and 4|, and lever 5 with its shaft 89-are composed of a plastic material such as a phenolic. The two castings 48 and 4| may with facility be sealed to one another either by a plastic cement or electronically, depending upon the plastic material used.

The projecting ends of the clips 8 and 4 are connected in the manner now to be described. The projecting end of the clip 9 adjacent the wall 9 of the casting 48 is connected, as an instance, by the conductor 42 to one of the terminals 43 of the fluorescent lamp 44. The projecting end of the flat clip 4 disposed in the recess ll of the casting is in turn connected by the conductor 45 to the terminal 46 of the lamp 44. The projecting end of the clip 3 adjacent the wall 9 oi! the casting 4! in turn is connected by the conductor 41 to the terminal 48 of the lamp 44 and the projecting end of the terminal 4 positioned on the projection ll of the casting 48 is connected by the conductor 48 to the ballast 50, which ballast 50 in turn is connected by the conductor 5| with one of the main leads 52 while the other main lead 53 is connected by the conductor 54 to the terminal 55 of the lamp 44. In the assembled position of these several parts as shown in Fig. 1, when the handle 5 is moved in the direction of the arrow 55, it will initially bring the arm 28 of the clip 3 positioned adjacent the wall 9 of the casting 4! into engagement with the edge of the flat clip 4, positioned on the projection H, which will constitute the main switch. Thereupon the portion 38 will engage the arm 28 of the other clip 3 and deflect it into engagement with the other fiat clip 4 positioned in the recess II. This latter deflection and contact will only endure momentarily when the lever 5 may be released and due to the tension in the arm 28 of the clip 8 adjacent the wall 8 of the castin 40, it will be moved to clear the clip 4 positioned in the recess l I. This momentary closure of the gap between the conductors 42 and 45 will be sufficient to heat the gas in the lamp 44 and build up sufficient potential so that upon the release of the lever 5 and consequent interruption in the circuit from the conductor 42 to the conductor 45, the current will jump across the lamp and ignite the lamp.

When the switch I, including two castings 2, two clips 3, two clips 4 and a lever 5, is mounted in a lighting fixture housing, the wall I may have an opening I56 out therein and the fastening or securing clip 6 provided with an opening 51 to permit the lever 5 to be passed therethrough into the position shown in Fig. 1, the end portions 58 and 59 of the clip 6 secured to the housing wall I by rivets, such as the rivets 80, or the like, and then the laterally extending jaws 6|, see Fig. 3, forced over the shoulders 62 of the castings 40 and 4| when the switch I will be anchored to the housing wall 1.

With the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 5 made according to the present invention, a plurality of fluorescent lamps may be ignited. Here too the small total number of parts and the small number of diilerent parts constitute an important feature. As an instance, with this embodiment there are nine main parts, two sets of two of which are identical to one another, one set 01 three of which is identical to one another and one metal contact clipand the handle or lever of it alone are not duplicated, making a total of five difl'erent parts.

The switch 68 of this embodiment has two identical complementary housing castings 84, 65, one long flat metal contact clip 66 and two identical short flat metal contact clips 81 and 88, three identical looped metal contact clips 59, 18 and 1|, and one handle or lever 12.

The casting 84, see Figs. 5 and 6, as an instance, has a curved wall 13 J-shaped in cross section, an enlarged conical stud 14 which has a central conical recess 15 and a small conical stud 18. The casting 84 also has a block 11, a raised portion 18, Fig. 6, and a straight wall 18. The wall 13 is spaced from the stud 18. In turn the stud 14 has an arcuate recess substantially crescent shaped so that the outer face of the stud 14 may form two clip seats. The edge of the block 11, see Fig. 5, complements the recess 88 in forming seat portions for the arm 82 of the clip 10. When the two complemental castings 84 and 55 are nested into one another as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the small stud 83 similar to the stud 16 and formed on the casting will fit in the conical chamber 15 of the large stud 14 of the casting '64, and in turn the small stud 18 of the casting 64 will fit in the conical recess 84 of the large stud 85 of the casting 55. When so assembled, the inner face of the wall 13 will be spaced from the large stud 85 and also from the block 88 formed on the casting 85 to form two seats staggered relative to one another for looped contact clips, such as the clips 88, 18 and Ti. In turn, the wall 81 of the casting 55 similar to the wall 13 of the casting 84 will be spaced from the outer faces of the large stud l4 and block 11 to form seats in staggered relation to one another for the long arms of the looped clips 10 and 1|.

- The casting 65 also has a straight wall 88 similar to the wall 19 of the casting 64 which complement one another to close the upper end of the housin as shown in Fig. 5. The wall 18 of the casting is spaced from the wall 18 of the casting 64 to cooperate with the seats formed between the wall 13 and the stud 85 and block 88 of the casting 65 to form seats for the outer portions of the arm of the looped contact clip 68. In turn the wall 88 of the casting 85 is spaced from the wall 81 of the casting 55 to cooperate with" the seats formed in the stud 14 and the edge of the block 11 of the casting 84 to form seats for the outer portions of looped clips, such as the clips 18 and II.

The main wall 8|, Fig. 6, of the casting 84 and the main wall 82 of the casting 65 each has five openings, an opening 83 for the stud or shaft 84 of the lever 12, and four elongated openings, two openings 85 and 86 parallel to one another, and at right angles to the openings 91 and 88 which latter openings 91 and 88 are in alinement with one another. The opening 85 in the casting 55, see Fig. 5, is in alinement with the recess 99 in the wall portion 19 and the recess 98 in the casting 84. In turn, the opening 96 in the casting 65 is in alinement with the recess I in the wall 88 and the opening 96 in the casting 64, Fig. 7.

The casting 65, in turn, also has a raised portion IOI similar to the raised portion 18 of the casting 64, which raised portions 18 and IN slidably engage the opposite faces of the arm I02 of the lever 12. Adjacent the shaft 94 of the lever 12,

there is formed the enlargement I03 to engage the inner faces of the plate portions 9I and 82 of the castings 64 and 66, respectively, with the arm I04 of the lever 12 extending through the opening formed between the short partitions I05 of the castings 64 and 65. Preferably the arm 504 is provided with the finger piece I06 as shown having outer knurled portions I01, I01, and the arrow I08 with the word On impressed thereon 6.0 guide the operator in actuating the lever 12,

The flat contact pieces 66, 61 and 68 are substantially identical to one another except that the enlarged portion I09 of the contact piece 66 is much longer than enlarged portions I I0 and I I I of the contact pieces 61 and 68, respectively. In assembled position the contact piece 66 has the outer end of its enlarged portion I09 engaging he inner face 92 of the casting 65 with its diminished portion II2 extending through the opening $8 in the casting 64, see Fig. 6, with the shoulder H3 engaging the inner face 9I of the casting 64 adjacent to the opening 98.

The contact piece 61 has its diminished portion H4 extending through the opening 95 in the casting 65 with the shoulder II5 formed by the enlarged portion IIO engaging the inner face 92 of the casting 65. In assembled position the free end of the enlarged portion H0 is engaged by the free end of the projection II6 of the block 11. The enlarged portion III of the contact clip 68 is disposed in the recess I00 in the wall 88 of the casting 65 and between the bottom of said recess I00 and the extensionl I6 of the block 11 of the casting 64 with its diminished portion II1 extending through the opening 96 in the casting 64 and the shoulder formed by its enlarged portion III engaging the inner face 9I of the casting 64. The diminished portions H2, H4 and I I1 of the contact pieces 66, 61 and 68 are all provided with openings, to wit, the openings II8, I I9 and I20, respectively, to receive electric conductors.

The looped contact clip 69, see Fig. 5, has its long arm I 2I positioned against the inner face 92 of the casting 65 and adjacent the inner face of the recessed portion I22 of the J-shaped wall 18 of the casting 64. The short arm 222 of the clip 69 has a bend I23 therein to form a seat for the nose I24 of the arm I02 of the lever 12. Normally the free end of the short arm I22 is biased into engagement with the edge of the contact clip 66, as shown in Fig. 5. The free end of the clip 69 extending beyond the casting 64 is provided with an opening I25 to receive an electric conductor in the conventional way. The looped contact clips 10 and 1 I, in turn, are positioned against the inner face of the J-shaped wall 81 of the casting 65, the long arm 82 of the contact clip 10 engaging the lower face I26, while the long arm I21 of the contact clip 1I engages the inner face of the recessed portion I28 of the wall 81. The long arm 82 of the clip 10 in addition is disposed below the free edge of the block 11 of the casting 64 and in the arcuate recess 80 of the stud 14 of the casting 64, while the arm I21 is positioned between the enlarged 'portion of the stud 14 of the recessed portion I28 of the wall 81. The short arms I29 and I of the clips 10 and H are provided with bends I8I, see Fig. 5, similar to the bend I28 of the clip 69. Preferably the clips 89, 10 and II are notched to receive projections, such as the projections I82 and I88, Fig. 8.

The arm I02 of the lever 12 is wide enough to engage both of the short arms I29 and I80 of the clips 10 and II simultaneously to press the two into engagement with the flat contact clips 61 and 68, respectively, see Fig. 6.

The outer free ends of the long arms 82 and I21 are also provided with openings I84 and I86, respectively. to receive electric conductors.

When these several contacts are connected to the two lamps I86 and I81, as hereinafter set forth, then when the lever 12 is moved to the right in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow I08, its nose I24 will be positioned in the bend I28 and space the short arm I22 from the contact clip 66 when the circuit will be interrupted. When it is desired to ignite the two lamps, the lever 12 is merely urged in the opposite direction, that indicated by the arrow I08, initially to release the short arm I22 and enable it to engage the fiat contact piece 66 and then momentarily press the two short arms I29 and I80 into engagement with the flat contact clips 61 and 68, respectively. After so bringing the short arms I29 and I80 into engagement with the contact clips 61 and 68, the lever 12 may be released when the bias in the short arms I29 and I80 will clear the contact clips 61 and 68 and permit the potential so built up to ignite the gas in the fluorescent lamps I36 and I31. When it is desired thereupon to extinguish the lamps I86 and I31, it will only be necessary again to swing the lever 12 so that its nose engages the bend I23 and spaces the short arm 22 from the contact clip 66.

From the wiring now to be described with regard to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, '7 and 8, it will appear that the outlet plug I88 is connected by the main lead I39 with the contact clip 68, that the flat contact clip 66 is connected by the conductor I40 to one terminal at the right hand end of the ballast I, that the conductor I 40 in turn is connected by the conductor I42 to the terminal I43 at one end of the lamp I86, and that the conductor I42 is connected by the conductor I44 with the terminal I45 at one end of the other lamp I31. In turn, the other main lead I46 of the plug I88 is also connected to the right hand end of the ballast HI, and the left hand end of the ballast I is connected by the conductors I41 and I48 to the terminals I49 and I50 of the lamps I36 and I81, respectively. The terminals I5I and I52 adjacent the terminals I49 and I50, respectively, are in turn connected to the flat contact clips 61 and 68, respectively, by the conductors I53 and I54, respectively, and the looped contact clips H and 12 are connected to the terminals I55 and I56, respectively, adjacent the terminals I48 and I45, respectively, by the conductors I51 and I58, respectively.

From the foregoing it will appear that the clips 69 and 66 will constitute the main switch to be initially closedby moving the lever 12 in the direction of the arrow I08 to clear the loop I28 and allow the clips 69 and 66 to engage one another as shown in Fig. 5, and then upon the con tinued movement of the lever 12, cause the clips 10 and H momentarily to engage the clips 61 and 7 ll, respectively, when upon the release thereupon o! the lever 12 the bias in the clips I and II will enable the clips and II to clear the clips 61 and 68, respectively, and enable the lamps I38 and I3! to be ignited. When it is desired thereupon to extinguish the lamps I36 and I31, it will only to necessary to swing the lever 12 in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow I08 until the nose I24 of the lever 12 engages the loop I23 and is anchored thereby when it will again interrupt the circuit by opening the main switch, that is, by separating the clips 69 and 66.

It is obvious that the various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electric switch for starting and operating a fluorescent lamp comprising a body composed of insulating material, a pair of stationary contact plates fixed in said body having two fixed terminals, a pair of looped plates mounted in said body, each looped plate having one fixed terminal and one yieldable terminal, one of said yieldable terminals being normally in yieldable engagement with one of said stationary plates and the other yieldable terminal being normally biased clear of said other stationary plate, and a lever composed of insulating material pivotally mounted in said body having an arm operatively associated with said yieldable terminals to enable said arm in one position to anchor said one yieldable terminal out of engagement with said one of said stationary plates in off position, in a second position to clear said one yieldable terminal to enable said one yieldable terminal under its own bias to engage said one stationary plate, and at the same time momentarily press said other yieldable terminal into engagement with said other stationary plate in starting" position, and in a third position under the bias of said other yieldable terminal to clear said other stationary plate in on position, said contact plates, looped plates and the axis of said lever extending perpendicular to a common plane with the two yieldable terminals disposed to either side of said arm.

2. An electric switch for starting and operating two fluorescent lamps in parallel to one another comprising a body composed of insulating material, three stationary contact plates fixed in said body, each stationary contact plate having two fixed terminals, three looped plates, each looped plate having one fixed terminal and one yieldable terminal, one of said yieldable terminals being normally in yieldable engagement with one of said stationary plates and the other two yieldable terminals being normally biased clear of said other two stationary plates, and a lever composed of insulating material pivotally mounted in said body having an arm operatively associated with said yieldable terminals to enable said arm in one position to anchor said one yieldable terminal out of engagement with said one of said stationary plates in off position, in a second position to clear said one yieldable terminal to enable said one yieldable terminal under its own bias to engage said one stationary plate and at the same time momentarily press said other yieldable terminals into engagement with said other stationary plates in starting. position, and in a third position under the bias of said other yieldable terminals to clear said other stationary plates in on position, said contact plates, looped plates and the axis of said lever extending perpendicular to a common plane, said one yieldable terminal disposed adiacent to one side of said arm and said two other yieldable terminals disposed adjacent to the other side of said arm.

3. An electric switch for starting and operating a fluorescent lamp comprising a body composed of two identical complemental parts of insulating plastic material cemented to one another and each having a main wall parallel to the other, a pair of stationary contact plates fixed in said body having two fixed terminals, a pair of looped plates mounted in said body, each looped plate having one fixed terminal and one yieldable terminal, one of said yieldable terminals being normally in yieldable engagement with one of said stationary plates and the other yieldable terminal being normally biased clear of said other stationary plate, and a lever composed of insulating plastic material pivotally mounted in said body having an arm, said contact plates. looped plates and the axis of said lever extending perpendicular to said main walls with the two yieldable terminals disposed to either side of said arm to enable said arm in one position to anchor said one yieldable terminal out of engagement with said one of said stationary plates in oif position, in a second position to clear said one yieldable terminal to enable said one yieldable terminal under its own bias to engage said one stationary plate, and at the same time momentarily press said other yieldable terminal into engagement with said other stationary plate in starting position, and in a third position under the bias of said other yieldable terminal to clear said other stationary plate in on" position, the complemental parts having projections, the two stationary contact plates being identical to one another and the two looped contact plates being identical to one another, said stationary and looped plates having notches to receive such projections and having portions corresponding to the distance between said parallel walls to facilitate anchoring said plates in position.

4. An electric switch for starting and operatingtwo fluorescent lamps in parallel to one another comprising a body composed of two identical complemental parts of insulating plastic material cemented to one another and each having a main wall parallel to the other, three stationary contact plates fixed in said body, each stationary contact plate having two fixed terminals, three looped plates, each looped plate having one fixed terminal and one yieldable terminal, one of said yieldable terminals being normally in yieldable engagement with one of said stationary plates and the other two yieldable terminals being normally biased clear of said other two stationary plates, and a lever composed of insulating plastic material pivotally mounted in said body having an arm, said contact plates, looped plates and the axis of said lever extending perpendicular to said main walls with one or said yieldable terminals disposed adjacent to one side of said arm and said two other yieldable terminals disposed adjacent to the other side of said arm to enable said arm in one position to anchor said one yieldable terminal out of engagement with said one of said stationary plates in on position, in a second position to clear said one yieldable terminal to enable said one yieldable terminal under its own bias to engage said one stationary plate and at the same time momentarily press said other yieldable terminals into engagement with said other stationary plates 9 10 in "starting position, and in a third position a under the bias of said other yieldable terminals REFERENCES CITED to clear said other stationary plates in on" posi- The following references are of record in the :ion, the oomplemental parts having projections, file of this patent:

we 01' said stationary contact plates being identi- 5 cal to one another but shorter than the third UNITED STATES PATENTS stationary contact plate, and said three looped Number Name Date contact plates being identical to one another, said 2,335,640 Bryant Nov. 30, 1943 stationary and looped plates having notches to 2,352,936 Bryant July 4, 1944 receive said projections and having portions cor- [0 2,387,055 Bryant Oct. 16, 1945 responding to the distance between said parallel 2,408,165 Har aWO d S p 24.

walls to facilitate anchoring said plates in position.

MICHAEL HENRY KRUGER. 

